Nine victims of Natore bus-truck crash identified, five from a single upazila in Shariatpur

Nine of the 14 people killed in a head-on collision between a passenger bus and a sand-laden truck in Baraigram, Natore, have been identified. Five of the dead are from Jazira upazila in Shariatpur — the tragic death of five people from a single upazila has cast a shadow of grief over Jazira, with mourning in their families.

The accident happened at around 4:30am on Tuesday (20 October) at Sarkar Para in the Bonpara police outpost area of Baraigram upazila on the Natore-Pabna highway. Police and fire service sources said an RP Paribahan passenger bus travelling from Barguna to Chapainawabganj collided head-on with a sand-laden truck coming from the opposite direction.

Ten people died on the spot in the collision. Four more died after being taken to hospital — taking the total death toll to 14. At least 30 people were injured in the incident. The injured have been sent to various local hospitals, Natore Sadar Hospital and Rajshahi Medical College Hospital.

The five identified victims from Jazira are — Jewel Madbar, son of Zahir Uddin Madbar of Ramkrishnapur Madbarkandi area; Salal Molla, son of Jahan Uddin Molla of Dubisaybar Mollakandi area; Sohag Shikder, son of Yunus Shikder of Dubisaybar Kazirhat area; Samad Fakir of Kazirhat area; and Shahin of Palerchar area. They are reported to have travelled to Natore for business work.

News of the deaths of five people from the same upazila has left families in Jazira mourning. Relatives have broken down in grief at losing their loved ones, and a sombre atmosphere prevails across the area. Since the news spread, neighbours and relatives have been gathering at the homes of the deceased.

Jazira police station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Saleh Ahmed said: 'We have already seen the matter on social media. We will be able to provide detailed information after making inquiries.' His remarks indicated that local police are contacting the families of the deceased and verifying information.

Jazira Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Al Imran said: 'We are aware of the matter. If the families need any kind of assistance, the upazila administration will support them.' In other words, the upazila administration has assured that it will stand beside the affected families.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has expressed deep grief and concern over the casualties in the bus-truck collision at Bonpara in Natore. In a statement sent to the media on Tuesday, the party's Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar said the deaths of 14 people and injuries to at least 20 in the road accident at Bonpara in Natore were extremely tragic and heartbreaking. He prayed for the souls of the deceased, wished the injured a speedy recovery and expressed deep sympathy to the families of the victims.

In the statement, Mia Golam Porwar called on the government and responsible officials of all relevant departments to take maximum steps to ensure better treatment for the injured. He also demanded that the government provide assistance to the affected families.

The Jamaat secretary general also raised the wider question of road safety. He said accidents are happening one after another because of flaws in traffic management on the country's roads and highways. To prevent such losses, he demanded improved traffic management, strict measures to stop unskilled drivers from driving, and a halt to expired vehicles operating. He also called on the relevant authorities to break the road syndicate and ensure the safety of citizens' lives and property.

This dawn accident has once again highlighted the horror of head-on collisions on highways. The loss of so many lives at once in a collision between a passenger bus and a sand-laden truck in the early morning has brought back to the fore questions about road management, vehicle fitness and driver skill — questions that everyone from political parties to ordinary people say must be answered.

Identifying the remaining deceased, treating the injured and investigating the cause of the accident are now the main tasks. Amid the mourning in Jazira and other home areas of the victims, families are waiting for the bodies of their loved ones, while at least 30 injured people are being treated in various hospitals. All eyes are now on what the investigation into this accident reveals.